The Office of Global Michigan, which was created to facilitate the resettlement of refugees to Michigan, is a federally funded venture. In 2024, federal money covers 98% of the office’s budget.

In the 2024 budget, Michigan lawmakers approved $39,127,500 for the Office of Global Michigan. Only $758,000 of that came from the general fund.

The lion’s share, 98%, or $38,369,000, came from the federal government.

Michigan is a top-10 state for refugees, according to the Office of Global Michigan. The state brought in about 7,500 refugees last year, according to the office’s annual report. A plurality of them, about 3,500, hailed from Ukraine and were displaced by Russia’s invasion.

Michigan has chosen to follow the private sponsorship model of refugee resettlement. That, too, came from the federal government.

Earlier this week the Office of Global Michigan published its inaugural monthly newsletter. Under accomplishments, one section reads:

Private sponsorship model: Demonstrated state leadership for the federal private sponsorship model, providing additional state supports for Welcome Corp and other federal sponsorship programs.

The Welcome Corps are the people who open their homes to refugees. But the responsibilities don’t end there. Sponsors are expected to help refugee children find schooling and help the adults find housing and jobs.

“Sponsors are expected to provide support to newly arrived refugees for 90 days through acts such as greeting refugee newcomers at the airport, securing and preparing initial housing, enrolling children in school and helping adults find employment,” the Office of Global Michigan said when asking for Welcome Corps volunteers.

“You already have the most important skill you need to succeed,” the Welcome Corps website assures would-be volunteers. “an understanding of daily life in your community and a desire to lend a hand.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signaled her support in her 2025 budget recommendations for legislation that would automatically charge vehicle owners a fee for entry to state parks. CapCon previously reported on House Bill 5428, which would automatically charge vehicle owners a $10 entry fee for the recreation passport, regardless of whether they visit state parks. Vehicle owners who do not want to pay the fee would have to request a refund from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, within 30 days of the charge.

The budget recommendation has this to say about the fee:

The Michigan Recreation Passport program has played a crucial role in funding and maintaining state parks, recreation areas, and boating access sites. Residents opt into the program during vehicle registration, paying an annual fee that allows them access to these natural treasures. While the program has achieved notable success, the opt-in structure presents some challenges.

The recommendation cites a backlog of maintenance projects in state parks. It also notes that only 36% of vehicle owners opt to buy the pass.

There are 8.6 million registered vehicles in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. If all registered vehicles were automatically charged $10 for a recreation pass, the state-mandated fee would collect approximately $86 million from taxpayers.

The 2024 executive budget shows the state is expected to collect $14.5 million from the recreation pass this year under the current opt-in law. It collected $10.2 million in 2019 and $13.4 million in 2021.